Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-21
galies' Cnln mn.
response to address of Welcome

Given at the third annual meeting of Yer
mont Woman's Suffrage Association.
held at Barton Landing, Jan. -. 1881
Reformers are never popular in thei,
dav and generation. Would that tbav al
ways and everywhere met as cordial a
welcome as you have given us tonight
| am sure that | voice the expression of
full hearts when in behalf of the stranger
within your gates, thank you for the
hearty goodwill evinced. The open door
and ruddy glow of the freight within is
not more gratifying 10 the weary. way
worn traveller than these words of well
come to those of us who are out in the
| cold not because we want to be- but be-
cause stern duty compels us to be. fight
ing the battle for the right
My thought goes out to the wider well
come that yet waits for woman in the
world-this old, weary, sin-cursed world.
that shall by and by arise in newness of
life to a grander civilization than the sag
est have predicted.
To you, O. woman! the call has come
to ''Arise and shine, for thy light is come
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee" 1t is not simply your right, but
your duty to stand side by side with your
brother in this government ''of the peo-
| pie and by the people" In the grand har-
| mony of the universe that is to be- we need
the soprano call to lead us as people up
| higher, and ever onward. In Gods wise
| providence the time has come when there
is an imperative demand for your work.
| When God made man He intended that
the race should dwell together in unity
| his children in the home which he had
made for them. Sin thwarted the plan
and made man his own and his brothers
| enemy. He could no longer hear the
voice of God seltishness lay at the root
| of all he did; and so all history is a pain
full recital of cruelty and wrong the tri-
umph of the stronger over the weaker
and yet Gods guidance is seen in it all
UnciviliZed man needed a strong hand to
subdue his wild instincts, and to teach
him respect for law and order. When
brute force was at most of necessity the
ruling power, and man knew no higher
safety for woman outside the portals of
home. Not until two centuries after the
advent of Christ has the public made any
near approach to the pitch where right
constitutes might. Not until that time
could woman with her feebler, physical
powers find her rightful place by the side
of man. When God wished to redeem
IL
loneliness of the desert to prepare him
for the work. Then when His people
groaned to be delivered from their bond
age, He sent them the man He had been
schooling for their helper. SO through
the ages He has been educating woman
for the time when the world should de
mend her aid. Seventy-five per cent of
our churches are women, and only two
per cent of our criminals. She has been
taught to look upon wrong with greater
adherence than man. And now have we
not arrived at a period in our national hsto-
ry where we need just such a class of
voters? If there We're an equal number
of equally good men DISTINGUISHED what
a clamor there would be just now! How
long do you think the liquor traffic would
remain were there large party of voters
who could not be induced to hold any
compromise with the evil? By all that
she has suffered from this evil woman
would become such voter. In certain
town in Illinois the women were allowed
to vote upon this question. Out of 2000
who voted, only two cast their ballots for
license. They saved the day, but the hus-
bands and fathers, who elected the offic-
ers, nuilified the vote by choosing men |
who they knew would not enforce the |
law. The rum vote to-day holds the bal |
ance of power in our large places. For |
either party to espOuse the temperance |
cause means defeat. If new class of |
voters outnumbering the liquor men
could be brought into the field we should
no longer behold the spectacle of a tenn
perance platform for a hoodwink in one
hand, and liquor candidates for bait in |
the other. Liquor dealers associations |
constantly pass resolutions to ''always |
and everywhere oppose womans ballot" |
There are numberless other evils, too,
is the only remedy. Talk about the stream |
of politics being too muddy for woman! |
We admit that it is muddy, and that is
just why wOman's help is needed to filter |
it. Did you ever go into a house that a |
man was keeping alone? l do not need |
to describe it, if | could Well. Uncle |
Sam has been trying, alone, to make |
home for this great American people, and |
he begins to think that woman needs to |
come in with her broom and dust-pan. |
and set things to rights.
If, as all agree, woman is the home |
maker, and our government is for the |
protection of our homes with instincts |
sharpened by affection who knows so |
well as she what she needs for protec- |
ton; who so keen as she to scent danger |
from affair; who so sure as she to strike |
at the root of all evil that would destroy? |
Moral questions are coming to the |
front in our legislation, and it is duty in
cumbent upon all our good women to seek |
for the ballot, to aid the reforms that |
must come, if we would save our nation. |
On one side you see the disease on the |
other the finger of God pointing to the |
remedy. Do you fear to use it? Has
woman become any less womanly because
of her work in missions or reforms?
Rather i'll helping others has she not help |
ed herself more. Our nation is one large
community of brothers. How is it going
to harm woman to help purify its moral
atmosphere, and to establish regulations
whereby we may dwell together in peace
and safety Shall not the promise, s.Give
and 1t shall be given unto you" be fulfill
ed in her case in an enlarged view of life,
a rising above its petty cares and troub-
les, stronger, nobler womanhood, and
happier homes? If she assumes this new
duty will not much that is frivolous be
crowded out of her life and the earnest
and true take its place? Notice the impe-
tus given to missions and reforms. since